Principal Flight Test Engineer

Job Details

• Relocation Assistance: Relocation assistance may be available
• Clearance Required For Start: Yes
• Clearance Type: Secret
• Travel: Yes, 10% of the Time Description

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is seeking a Principal Flight Test Engineer to lead system‑level flight testing and verification for the AARGM‑ER missile development program. The role will involve developing and maintaining flight‑test plans, procedures, and reports with minimal supervision, as well as authoring comprehensive test reports that document flight‑test results and certification status. The candidate will work within a cross‑functional team to coordinate flight‑test activities, flight‑range logistics, and data‑analysis efforts among program stakeholders. Travel to test ranges and launch sites will be required to support the AARGM‑ER flight‑test campaign.

The qualified candidate will become part of Northrop Grumman’s Test and Evaluation Engineering department, Advanced Weapons division. This position is 100 % on‑site at our Northridge, CA facility; remote or hybrid work is not available. Active Secret clearance required to start.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop executable flight‑test plans that address technical specification verification, safety requirements, and range‑clearance constraints.
• Work with internal and external customers to define instrumentation, telemetry, data‑capture, and post‑flight analysis requirements.
• Coordinate flight‑range scheduling, launch vehicle integration, and support personnel to ensure safe and efficient test execution.
• Conduct pre‑flight briefings, post‑flight de‑briefs, and real‑time flight‑test monitoring, including anomaly detection and mitigation.
• Perform flight‑data collection, reduction, and dissemination to verification‑requirement stakeholders.
• Author and publish flight‑test reports, data summaries, and certification packages that trace results back to program requirements.
• Operate and troubleshoot flight‑test equipment such as telemetry receivers, high‑speed data loggers, RF spectrum analyzers, and signal generators.
• Demonstrate expertise with data‑analysis tools such as MATLAB, LabVIEW, Excel, and scripting languages for rapid post‑flight processing.
• Prepare briefings (Word, PowerPoint) for senior leadership, customer representatives, and technical review panels.
• Continuously improve flight‑test processes, incorporate lessons learned, and implement best‑practice procedures.
• Participate in and/or lead Technical Review Boards (TRRs), Flight Review Boards (FRRs), and other technical reviews related to flight testing.

Basic Qualifications – Level 3

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline + 5 + years of relevant experience, or a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline + 3 + years of experience.
• Hands‑on experience with flight‑test instrumentation (telemetry, high‑speed data acquisition, RF test equipment, DMMs, signal generators).
• Proven flight‑test engineering experience, including test planning, execution, and data analysis for missile or aerospace systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Proven record of documenting test plans, procedures, and reports
• Active Secret clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent …